A delegation of European judges in Beirut to investigate financial embezzlement

Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon Riad Salamé, during his interview with Agence France-presse, December 20, 2021. AFP - JOSEPH EID

Text by: Paul Khalifeh Follow

3 mins

More than three years after the beginning of the protest movement against the political class, no progress has been made in the fight against corruption in Lebanon.

No senior leader has been prosecuted, no investigation has resulted.

Among the most controversial figures is the governor of the Banque du Liban.

Riad Salamé is the subject of investigations in several European countries for embezzlement, illicit enrichment and money laundering involving an amount of 330 million dollars.

In France, his ex-partner and mother of his child, Anna Kosavoka, was indicted last summer. 

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From our correspondent in Beirut

A delegation of magistrates from France, Germany and Luxembourg is expected this Monday, January 9 in Beirut to investigate financial embezzlement in which Lebanese personalities are allegedly involved.

European judges are expected to hear some 25 people, including Riad Salamé and his brother Raja, who are already being prosecuted in Lebanon.

Prosecutions which have also failed due to political interference in the course of justice.

The French, German and Luxembourg judges will also collect the depositions of bosses and senior officials of several banks in close relationship with the Central Bank of Lebanon.

The intervention of European judges divides

The European delegation is made up of public prosecutors, investigating judges and financial prosecutors.

The interrogations will be held in the presence of Lebanese magistrates.

They are also the ones who will ask the people summoned the questions of the European investigators.

The people that the European judges want to hear are not at great risk.

Lebanese justice has also refused to issue warrants to bring against the people that the European magistrates wish to hear.

Consequently, these people are free to accept or decline the summons, just as they are not required to answer all the questions that will be addressed to them by the investigators in the event that they have agreed to appear.

According to a Lebanese judicial source, Riad Salamé has still not made its intentions known.

Neither did his brother Raja.

The latter was arrested last spring for several days by Lebanese anti-corruption judge Ghada Aoun, before being released on $3.7 million bail.

► To read also: Lebanon: a judge prohibits Riad Salamé from disposing of its real estate and vehicles

The majority of Lebanese are aware that corruption is a major problem in the country.

However, the visit to Beirut of the European judicial delegation provoked contradictory reactions in the media and in judicial and political circles.

Some consider the intervention of European magistrates to be legal, insofar as Lebanon has been a signatory since 2009 to the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

This stipulates that an acceding State may request mutual assistance from another signatory State, to “

” or “

”.

An attack on state sovereignty?

Others, on the other hand, believe that the European approach constitutes an attack on the sovereignty of Lebanon, even a humiliation.

They affirm that a foreign justice should not investigate "independently" of the Lebanese justice on Lebanese soil.

We observe the same division on social networks.

Some Internet users even go so far as to accuse those who oppose the arrival of European judges of appearing on

Riad Salamé's

Lebanon ranks 154th out of 180 in the ranking of the NGO 

.

► To read also: 

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